Antifriction spring bearing



March 3l, 1931. R. R SEARLES 1,798,907

ANTIFRICTION SPRING BEARING Filed March 3ll 1925 5mm/mtu Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAYMOND R. SEARLES, O NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE FAFNIR BEARING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF COIN'-v NECTIC'UT ANTERICTION SPRING BEARING Application mea Narn. a1, 1925. serial 30.119.564.

My invention relates to an anti-friction spring bearing, and particularly to a spring shackle.

It is an object of the invention to provide I an anti-friction spring bearing in which the anti-friction bearing members may be held in place independently of the shackle bearing pins, whereby the shackle cheek plates and assembled anti-*friction bearing members may be handled as a unit. y

It is a more specific object to provide shackle lcheek plate with an anti-friction raceway on which there are 'a plurality of antifriction bearing members so arranged as to hold each other in place against inward radial dislodgment.

It is a further object to provide a shackle cheek plate having an anti-friction bearing member raceway therein with means to perj mit the introduction of a tool for forcing the raceway out of the cheek plate.

It is a further object to provide an antiffriction shackle with a raceway member and means for permitting access. to the anti-frictionbearing members in order to lubricate the same.

It is a more general object to provide a' spring bearing-or connection in which antifretion bearing members areunitarily carried by one of the connecting members so that they may be handled therewith as a unit.

Other objects willappear as the specifica-I features of the invention; Briefly stated, in the preferred form of the tion proceeds. r

invention the shackle includes twovshackle cheek plates carrying anti-friction bearing members. Bearing pins are secured to a vehicle frame and spring, and the ends project therefrom and engage, either directly or through an inner ring, with the anti-friction bearing members. The shackle suitably held together and may e spaced apartlby a spacer member if desired. The anti-friction bearing members are held in the raceways against both radial and axial displacement, so that the shackle cheek plates l may be handled as a unit with the bearing members in lace and the latter will not drop out when the-.shackle cheek plates are removed from the bearing pins. This desirable able recess `or cup 1n the s lates are i result may be accomplished by filling the.

raceway substantiallyfull ofl anti-*fraction bearing members whereby the same form in effect ke stone arches, soas to prevent inward ra ial movement of the bearing mem-v bers, and some additional means, such as a washer or dust ring, may be provided for preventing axial displacement. If-desired,

the raceways for the anti-friction bearing members may be formed directly in the shackle rcheek plates or in 'separate .race rings or cups carried by the shackle cheek plates. lIn the latter case it is desirable to have the auxiliary race ring or` cup seated in a suitackle cheek plate and in order to render easy the removal of this auxiliary cup I prefer to 'form an aperture in theshackle to ermit the introduction of a tool to drive out t e auxiliary cup. AThis aperturel likewise affords communication with the spiace abouty the anti-friction bearing members through a suitable aperture in the inside cup or race rin In the drawings whic show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention Fig. 1 is a fragmentary end view in partial section of a vehicle frame and spring held together by a shackle, illustrating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed inside view of one end of a shackle chee plate and illustrating Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of Fi 4.-;

Fig; 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but i ustratin a modified form.,

,.'In t e draWings,-5 indicates a portion of a vehicle frame to be connected to` the spring 6. 7 indicates a bearin pin preferably shrunk or otherwise rigiddy secured in the frame 5 and having oppositely projecting ends, as 8. 9 indicates abearing pin suitably held in the end of the spring 6 and, since it may be a substantial duplicate of the pin V7, no separate detailed illustration thereofv thes describe balls and-bearing surfaces.

form illustrated in Figs. 1 andl 2 I employ a separate anti-.friction member raceway, which may be in the form of a sheet-.metal cup 13 fitting tightly in each of the seats 12-12. The. cups 13 are formed at the bottom so as to provide suitable bearing races for anti-friction bearin -members, such as balls 1 4- -14. Each shac vle plate, if desired, may be apertured, as indicated at 15, whereby the` cup 13 may be forced outwardly by a suitable tool if occasion arises to remove the cup from the, cheek plate for the purpose of renewal or repair. In the form shown, the cup 13 has a projecting lug or boss 16, which may extend into the aperture 15 so as to come substantially fiush with the outer surface thereof and form substantially a continuation thereof. The lug 16 may be centrally apertured to permit access to the space about the balls .141-114, to .permit the introduction of lubricant into thecup' 13. A screw plug 17 may serve to close the aperture inthe boss Itis desirable to have the ballsor other anti-friction bearing members 14. held. in

lace independently of the bearing pins, such as 7 and 9 s0 that the cheek plates and assem bled anti-friction bearing members may be handled as units. With that end in View I prefer to substantially fill the. bearing cups 13-13'wvith anti-friction members, such' as the balls 111-14. Such a completel filled cup is clearly shown in Fig'. 2. ith the balls substantially completely S filling. the bearing cup, the points of Contact between .adjacent balls will be radially inwardly of the circle passing through the centers of all of the balls, and v it will therefore be plain 'that each ball, in effect, acts as the keystone of an arch formed'by the two adjacent balls, and therefore all of the Iballs willserve to prevent any of the balls from inward radial displacement. Of course, other means coul be employed for.. holding the balls against. droppln out radially, but lthe method just is verysatisfactory and provldes for the maximum number of balls and affords a good bearing surface for the bearing oli the pins.. y Some form of'washer 18 or'ring may be frictionallyo'r otherwise securely held in the end of thecup' 13 and abut or come up quite closely to lthe balls, whereby the latter are held againstoutward axial displacement. If desired,\ t he washer'18 may form a lpart of a, suitable d`ust ring 19 ttin over the ends 0f the pins 7 and 9, for exclu ing dust from the Now it will be plain that by the simple. means disclosed-the balls are held against drop in out either radially or axially when iiac le plates' are removed from the ins and the cheek plates with the balls assem le'd may be stored, shipped or handled as a unlt. The assembling of a shackle embodying this facture.

have not illlustrated what may be termed an inner bearing ring, but have formed a bearing seat 2O directly upon the ends ofthe pins 7 and 9. This construction has been found to be satisfactory in use and cheap to manu- `In the form shown in Figs. l'3 and 4 the `balls or other anti-friction members 111-14 are, mounted directly in the seats o r cups as 12 without the interposition of a --separate bearing ring vor cup, such as 13, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.- In Figs. 3 and 4 the washer 18, as in the previous case, serves to hold the balls against outward'axialmovement, while the balls themselves as previously described resist inward radial displacement. Here also the washer 18 may form part of a dust ring, as in the previous example..

l The construction and operation of the form 'shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is substantially thev -same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except lthat the balls are mounted directly .on seatsl in theshackle plates. In the particular form shown, no aperture has been shown for per-v mitting the introduction of lubricant though obviously such aperture might be provided. The balls and pins may serve to space the plates 1(7)-11 apart but I prefer to emplo a spacer 20 between the same to prevent un ue pressure on the balls when the nut 21 on the4 securing bolt 22 is drawn up.

, While the invention has een described lin detail as embodied in a spring connection in the form of a shackle, I do not wish to be limited to that form of connection nor to the specific forms shown, since such forms are .f

butiilluS-trative, and changes may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shackle for securing/'a vehicle.

frame and s ring to' eachother, a ypair of shackle chee plateshaving seats forantifriction members at opposite ends thereof, anti-friction bearing members arranged on said seats so as to substantially completely fill the same whereby the anti-friction meurbers will be arran led-to form arches to prei vent radial-inwar movement of said anti-l friction bearing members, means to be carried by a spring and frame and having antifriction lraceways thereon to engage said' anti-friction bearing members, and means as-` sembled with said seats for .reventing axial displacement of said antiriction bearing' members when said raceways carried by said spring and frame are withdrawn.

V2. In a shackle; a .pair of shackle cheek plates having seats at opposite ends thereof,

bearing balls arranged in said seats so as to v substantially completely fill the latter whereby the balls will form arches so as to prevent the s ame from inward radial movement, supporting means to be carried by a spring and frame and engaging said balls, and means 4for preventing axial movement of said ballsA -placement of said anti-friction bearing members, whereby the anti-friction bearing members are held in place on said seats when the bearing pins are removed.

4. In a shackle, a pair of shackle cheek plates having seats at opposite ends thereof,

raceway members on said seats, anti-frictin bearing members in said raceway members', bearing pins to engage said anti-friction bearing members, said anti-friction members being, held against inward radial displacement independently of said pins, and means for preventing outward axial displacement of said anti-friction bearings when said pins are withdrawn.'

5. In a shackle, a pair of shackle cheek plates having seat recesses at opposite ends thereof, anti-friction bearing member raceways seated in said recessesand carrying anti-friction bearing members, said cheek plates having openings therein to permit ac- Cess to said bearing raceways, said racewaysv having openings registering with said openings in said shackle cheek plates whereby lu ricant may be introduced onto saidanti- .friction bearing members from said register; ing openings. y

6. In the combination defined in claim 5 said raceways being in the form of cups, and plugs for closing the apertures in said race- Way cups.

7. In a shackle, a pair of shackle cheek plates having seats at opposite ends thereof and openings in the bottom ofpfsaidseats, bearing cups mounted in said seats and carrying anti-friction members, said cups having lugs thereon` extending into the openings in the bottom of said seats;

8. In the 'combination defined in claim 7, said lugs having openings therein for permitting access to the interior of said cups.

9. A shackle link, and antifriction bearing members permanently carried by said link at opposite ends thereof, whereby said link and assembled antifriction bearing members may be handled and applied as a unit.

l0. A shackle link having seats at opposite ends thereof, bearing raceways `permanently carried by said seats, and antifriction bearing members permanently held on said seats, whereby said link, bearing racewa s, and antifriction bearing membersv may e handled and appliedas a unit. Y

11. A shackle link having a bearing race- Way at each end thereof, antifriction bearing members carried by said raceways on said link, and means for securing said bearing members 0n said raceways, whereby said link and assembled bearing members may'be assembled with complementary raceways and disassembled without danger of separation of said bearing members from said link.

12. A shackle link having seat recesses at opposite ends thereof, cup-shaped bearing races seated on said seats, said seat recesses having openings in the bottomsthereof eX- tending over the bottoms of said cup-shaped bearing races, whereby a tool may engage said bearing races directly through said openings for driving said races from said seat recesses.

13. In a shackle construction, a pair lof shackle links having seats at opposite .ends thereof, antifriction bearing members for coaction with said seats, means to be carried by a spring and frame and having seats for coaction with said antifriction bearing members, said antifriction bearing members being unitarily assembled withso'me of said seats whereby said shackle links may be separated and said antifriction bearing members re'- main unitarily assembled with said some of said seats for the purpose described.

14. In a spring connection, a shackle link having seats for anti-friction bearing members at opposite ends thereof, said seats being formed directlyy on said link, `and antifricti'on bearing members unitarily assembled with said seats .whereby said link and f assembled anti-friction bearing members may be handled andapplied as a unit.

15. In a spring connection, a shackle link having seats for anti-friction bearingmembers at opposite ends thereof, said seats being formed'directly on said link, anti-friction bearing members on said seats, and sheet metal plate means carried by said link and extending 'over said anti-friction bearing, members to assist in unitarily assembling said anti-friction bearing members with said" link whereby said link and anti-friction bear- -ingmembers may be handled and applied as a unit.v i

16. In a spring connection, means to be carried by a spring and having raceways for anti-friction bearing members thereon, side members to be supported from a frame and having raceways for anti-friction bearing memberscomplementary to said first-mentioned raceways, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said" complementary raceways,y said anti-frictionbearing members being unitarily assembled with said side ICU Y members whereby saidside members together with assembled anti-friction bearing members m'ay behandled and applied as units. l.,

17. In a spring connection for connecting a spring part to a frame part, means carried by one of said parts and havingraceways for anti-friction bearing members, means to be carried by the other of said parts andhaving raceways complementary to said irst mentioned raceways, anti-friction bearing mem.- bers interposed between said complementary raceways, said anti-friction bearing members being unitarily assembled with the raceways of one of said means.

18. In a spring connection for connecting a spring part to a frame part, means carried by one of said parts and having raceways .for anti-friction bearing members, means` to be pivotally carried I.by the other of said parts and having raceways complementary to said first mentioned raceways, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said comlementary raceways, said antiriction bearlng members being unitarily assembled with the raceways of one of said means.

19. In a spring connection for 'connecting a spring part-to a frame part, apair of-side members supported from one of said parts and having raceways for anti-friction b earing members, anti-friction bearin'gfmembers.

on said raceways and unitaril-y vassembled therewith whereby said side members and` unltarily assembled anti-friction bearing.

members may be handled as units, and the other of said parts extending between said side members and embodying meanshaving -ra'ceways complementary to 'said rst mentioned raceways to engage vsaid anti-friction bearing members.

20. In a spring connection,-a pair of side members having cup recesses .therein-fior antifriction bearing members, anti-friction bearing members in said cup' recesses l"and unitarily assembled with said side members v whereby said side members and` anti-friction bearing members may be handled as `units,said side members having openings therein eccentric to saidcup recesses to receive means for holding said side members in position, and means having raceways to engage said anti-friction bearing members.

` RAYMOND R. SEARLES.. 

